


Shut Up And Let Me Be

by siseon



Category: iKON (Kpop)
Genre: Failed Fluff, M/M, catboy hanbin, innocent hanbinie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 10:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8009524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siseon/pseuds/siseon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bobby doesn't think getting a cat for his birthday is funny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shut Up And Let Me Be

Unlike how a lot of people -including his dear mother- had considered, Bobby didn’t think he was a person who cursed much. He didn’t say he never cursed, of course he did, -most of them directed to June-, but wasn’t that much of a big deal like his mother made it out to be. So, sorry to Mama Kim, but… What the fuck was this? 

Bobby’s jaw fell when _the thing_ in the box raised its head to stare at him with sparkling eyes. The mailman had brought the box to him at fucking 9 am with a postcard that read ‘Happy 24th birthday, asshole’. The sender even drew a pink heart at the end of their brilliant terse message and the card smelt like some kind of flower but Bobby didn’t have a clue about who could it be. Which one of his brain lacking friends could be enough thirsty for death to actually send him a hairy… monster as a birthday present? 

The monster watched as Bobby threw a fit at the air and probably didn’t even know what Bobby had in mind when he took it out of the box. 

“You’re getting out,” he told it, walking towards the door to get rid of it. Sooner the better. “Shit!” he yelled when he tripped on that same damned box and he had to let go of the monster to stay upright with his hands. The thing quickly dashed off as soon as its feet hit the ground, too fast for Bobby to even see where it went. Okay. That was it. It could go and hide wherever it wanted, but the moment it got caught, Bobby’d teach the little escapee that this was only his apartment and he didn’t welcome any housemates.

 

 

“So, which one of you smarties was it?” Bobby asked after clearing his throat. He was leaning back against his chair with his arms crossed. He eyed his friends with a glint of threat in his eyes. Everyone focused on Donghyuk when he gasped. 

“I told you he was going to notice,” he told Chanwoo, poking him with an elbow. Bobby’s brows furrowed. Chanwoo slowly turned to Bobby and for a moment he looked scared. 

“I'm sorry hyung! It was my idea, I'm really sorry.”

“You thought getting me a _cat_ is a good idea?!” Bobby snapped, almost knocking down his drink on the table. Every head around the table stared at him with surprised eyes, no one uttering a single word. Bobby raised an eyebrow. 

“What cat?” Jinhwan said. Bobby was losing his patience, honestly. 

“Don't act innocent!” He pointed at each one of his friends threateningly. He knew. He was sure of it. The culprit was sitting at the same table as him right now. Bobby had been friends long enough with these bastards to not believe otherwise. “One of you posted a CAT to my apartment as a birthday present. So…” He fixed his gaze on Chanwoo. 

“Oh!” Chanwoo jumped on his seat. “Oh, I thought… I thought you were talking about that time when Donghyuk hyung and I used your underwears as gift wraps for the presents Donghyuk gave to his children at kindergarten.” He sighed smiling like a huge burden was lifted off his shoulders. The furious look Donghyuk gave him went unnoticed. 

“... What are you- wHAT?!” 

“I couldn't find anything to wrap them at the time and your colorful underwears just called me. They were dancing in joy, hyung, they looked beautiful.” Donghyuk looked like he could cry if Bobby didn’t stop scowling at him. 

“Okay, whatever,” he sighed, shaking his head. It wasn’t the time to get angry about his missing underwears even if he had made a disaster in his bedroom to find them. He could get angry about that later. “That’s… That’s not important right now.” He took a deep breath and tapped his nails on the table. That was when he caught June snickering inside his glass. “Was it you?” he asked but it was more like a statement. June laughed freely as he put his drink down. 

“What was me?” Bobby didn’t find this funny.

“I swear to God, June, if you don’t take that little thing back-” 

“You mean the cat?” June cut him off. Oh, he was enjoying himself so much. Bobby leaned towards him and opened his mouth but clenched his teeth to keep the words in when Jinhwan sent him a firm stare. 

“I… do mean _the cat_ , my dear… friend.” He grasped June’s shoulder and squeezed it, wishing that it would leave a permanent damage there. June was still smiling though.

“Hyung, I think you should thank whoever did it. It might turn out to be a good thing.” His tone and his expression were telling different things. “You look really lonely recently.”

“So…” Bobby stared into June’s eyes. “You’re saying that... a cat is going to end my solitude?”

“Yeah,” June answered without a second thought. “You’ll see what I mean.” Bobby sniffed the air and June ran towards the door before Bobby could throw a chair at him.

 

The cat was nowhere to be found. Bobby had searched everywhere. It just wasn’t there. Maybe it was hiding from Bobby, thinking it was a smart move. Well, it actually was because the second Bobby found him, he was going the kick it out. No one belonged here except Bobby. It was Bobby’s place. He paid for it, damn it. 

After looking around for two days, Bobby came to conclusion that it had run away. There was no other explaining. That kind of small creature wouldn’t be able to keep on without eating for days. It was neither dead somewhere in the apartment or it was on the streets, fishing out food from containers. It wasn’t Bobby’s business if it was out. However if it died here… Bobby wouldn’t want to see that kind of thing. Holy Jesus, he wouldn’t want to _smell_ that kind of thing. But there was no sign of that sort of horrifying instance either. 

Howbeit, on the third day, Bobby returned to his flat to find his kitchen looking like it was attacked by a hungry chihuahua. Everywhere single place a small being could reached was clawed. The lower cupboards were the worst. Bobby’s gaped at them and licked his teeth to stay calm because this wasn’t going to be easy to fix. Not like Bobby was planning on fixing it but it just wasn’t nice when it was someone other than him that made the harm. 

So the thing was still here. 

 

 

“Okay,” he sighed after closing his apartment’s door behind him. He took his shoes off and threw them somewhere around the corridor carelessly. He had been messy his whole life. Having some clothes on the ground or shoes in the middles of his living room didn’t bother him. He didn’t tire himself cleaning, his mother knew, and so she came by her son’s once a week to save her boy from drowning in shit. 

Bobby tried to not make a sound that would scare the kitty, and walked on his toes slowly further into the apartment. He was careful. And he was smarter than the cat. He was going to find it this time. And he had a plan. He had tuna. 

He opened the can and emptied the tuna on a little plate. He hated tuna. But he had to endure at least this smell because he guessed it was probably preferable over a dead creature’s stench. He made his way to the living room with the same precaution and placed the tuna on the ground near the table. Now, all he had to do was wait. He should probably stay distant though. He entered back to kitchen but left the door slightly open just enough to take a peek to the living room. He fell to the ground facing the door and started waiting. Ten minutes passed and Bobby wasn’t bored yet because the new game he downloaded on his phone was keeping him distracted. It was a simple game of jumping across cliffs and collecting coins. He made it to level 24. It was fun and easy and he didn’t have to think about what he was actually trying to do, sitting on the cold ground with his butt hurting. Well, it _was_ fun, until he got a message from his squad’s stupid group chat and he jumped too early, causing himself to fall down the cliff. He almost buried his canines into the screen. Then he stopped. 

He narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to the door’s opening. There it was! The little shit! Bobby tried not to make a sound of victory. It was dragging its little paws towards the plate and smelled it once before digging in its tiny head into the tuna. Bobby just watched. It must be really hungry, he thought. At least he could just let the kitten eat before kicking it out. 

It was light brown and fluffy, sickly tiny and it had the saddest face Bobby had ever seen. This thing could make lots of people’s heart stop at the first glance. Bobby just probably wasn’t one of them. When the cat finished eating, it sat on its butt and started cleaning its face with its paws after licking them. What was this thing doing? Okay, that might’ve made Bobby find it kind of sweet but just for a second okay.

He stood up without averting his gaze from the kitten and pulled the door open as slowly. Wouldn’t animals, like, feel it when other creatures crept up behind them? Bobby was going to find out. He tiptoed towards the cat. What was he going to do? Was he gonna jump on it? Could he catch it? What was happening now. Should he hit it? 

As he was hesitating on what to do, the kitty felt his presence and twirled its head towards Bobby. They both froze staring at each other in surprise. This kitty had the eyes of a beggar, seriously. Shit. Bobby didn’t know which one of them was more frightened. He didn’t have the chance to make a dash when the kitten started running for its life. Its legs at the back even slipped on the way. It hid under the nearest thing that could be seen, the table.

Bobby stared at the ceiling. “Dear Lord. Please help me. I love you.” With each step he drew closer to the table, the kitten trembled more. Bobby prayed that it wouldn’t piss there or something. “Okay, kitty-cat. Now come… out…” he trailed off when he finally peeked under the table. “WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK-” He jumped back and fell on his butt, retreating in horror. 

Under the table, there hid a boy with arms hugging his legs, shaking in the corner scared of Bobby’s outburst. Bobby was even more scared. He was going to be the one to piss on his living room floor. 

“W-wh-what- who are you?” Bobby let out with his chest heaving. His legs were probably shaking and his voice sounded like Alvin out of fear. Probably. 

The boy clung onto the table’s leg harder as he hugged his legs closer. It looked like he was trying to be one with the table. Bobby was getting the hang of breathing again slowly, though he was still shitting his pants. Why did he have a boy under his table? How did he get in here? Was Bobby going crazy, had he eaten cat food without knowing? Was this some kind of side effect? Then he saw it. The boy shifted again when Bobby got on his fours and there it was. A long, puffy, brown thing near the boy. A tail. Bobby’s breath caught in his throat again when he looked up to see two pointy ears poking out of his hair. He had caught the cat. 

“Oh my God,” he swallowed. “Um, are- are you a... hybrid?” He didn’t get an answer. The hybrid only glanced at him once with teary eyes before he closed up to himself again. But the answer was obvious for everyone with eyes. Shit. Let alone dealing with a hybrid, it was the first time Bobby was seeing one this close. Their existence wasn’t as popular as before anymore since people got tired of them five years ago. And Bobby never was a fan of pets, so he never cared about hybrids. Now looking at a hybrid in its Primal Form, he was getting goosebumps. It definitely looked like a person. Human. Was he supposed to treat it like a pet? He was shaking all over like Bobby was going to murder him and Bobby felt like a bad person. 

But none of that mattered. Whether it was a normal cat, a hybrid or an elf, Bobby didn’t care. He still had no place in Bobby’s home. 

“I know you’re scared… But, uh, can you come out?” Bobby was being as kind as he could but he wasn’t sure how his face looked like. He was probably a monster in the hybrid’s eyes. Huh. Bobby never thought the hybrid was cute either anyways. “We should talk I think.” He didn’t know if hybrids could talk. Hell, he didn’t know anything. He was going to find whoever sent this gift to him and kill them. The hybrid didn’t even move an inch, his ears laid backwards and tail fur standing on the end. Bobby wasn’t patient. 

“Fuck this,” he hissed under his breath and sprinted towards kitchen. Okay, so he just couldn’t manhandle a grown looking man and put him outside his door. He guessed hybrids could communicate like humans do, so he was going to try that. He got another canned tuna and placed it on a plate and grabbed a fork with it this time. He had no idea how to feed a hybrid but tuna worked before didn’t it? This time he even prepared a glass of water. 

He entered the living room again and was surprised to find his birthday gift still under the table where he had left him. He approached carefully, putting on a smile. “Oh, hello.” He didn’t even know he was talented in imitating the tone of a newly wed speaking to his mother-in-law. “You’re still hungry, right? I’ve brought you more food.” He placed the plate down to the ground. Hybrid eyed Bobby cautiously before giving brief glance to the tuna. His ears shifted. “And water. Here.” Bobby locked his eyes with him. Although they were curtained with the tips of his hair, Bobby could see that the hybrid had the pupils of a cat. Under the table, in the dim light, they were widened and Bobby felt uneasy staring straight into his eyes. “I’m… I’m not going to hurt you.” The words he didn’t even think about just spilled out of his mouth as if he was hypnotized. He couldn’t even blink staring at him. 

The hybrid perked one ear up but didn’t show any other action. He didn’t seem as scared as before and that was an improvement. Bobby decided to just give him some space and retreated to his bedroom. Just after closing the door, he heard the sound of a plate sliding across the parquet ground. And he smiled.

 

 _‘If the culprit doesn’t confess to his crime, I’m gonna have to fry every single person’s brain in this chatroom’_ Bobby hit the send button. He threw his phone to the bed before pulling the hoodie off. He tended to sweat under stress. He ran a hand through his hair and considered showering. He wanted to stay under the water for hours but he had to deal with the monster in the next room first. How beautiful life was treating him these days, seriously. 

His phone vibrated and he unlocked it. _‘What happened?’_ June was saying. _‘Did the kitten pee on ur bed or sth lol’._ Bobby wasn't “lol”ing at all. 

_‘No it's worse’_ he texted back. _‘idk. but seriously guys how could u do this to me?’_

 _‘Why is your ass this upset about housing the cutest creature?’_ Donghyuk wrote this time. Oh the perfect question. Bobby didn't have a proper answer to that but for real, Bobby taking care of a cat? How absurd was that? Moreover, in this case it wasn't even a cat. It was a _hybrid_. His mom would've taken him to an exorcist if he told her he had a pet. Bobby was going to fight till he lost the last drop of his blood to keep his place to himself. 

‘send a pic xx’ Jinhwan joined the fun. If only he knew… Bobby stopped. He could be the betrayer who bought him the hybrid too. Bobby’d honestly be disappointed if it were Jinhwan.

Bobby didn't answer and pocketed his phone,sighing. He opened the window to get some fresh air. After feeling ready enough, he walked out of the serene atmosphere of his room. 

He heard little rattlings as he came closer. There was not a boy near the tuna anymore. In the form of a little cat, he was playing with the fork, fighting with it. Bobby pursued his lips and dropped to the ground. The kitten stopped playing and froze all together to watch Bobby. Bobby drew closer but the kitten wasn't moving at all. His face looked like he was about to cry and Bobby was amazed to see an animal capable of that expression. He reached out very slowly and that was when the cat finally started to run. But he couldn't go more than four steps with his short little legs. Bobby had nice reflexes. 

Now that Bobby was holding him in his hands, he felt even more smaller. He was very skinny, but his stomach was full with freshly consumed food and water. His brown fur was the fluffiest thing Bobby had ever laid his hands on. The cat meowing endlessly, trying to get out of Bobby's hold. Bobby realised he was gaping at this little being. He was trying to push Bobby away with his pinkish paws to no avail, amusing Bobby in some weird way. 

“Meow as much as you want, little one. I ain't leaving you.”

He took the little guy with him to the couch and sat down on it, carefully holding the kitten. See, he chose to have a conversation with the hybrid first like a modern guy when he could just throw the fluff ball out right there and then. Bobby put him on his chest to steady him when his grip loosened. He was meowing non-stop. “Hey,” Bobby warned the kitten to stop him from climbing up his body. Though he already had two paws on Bobby’s shoulder. Bobby didn’t know what to do with this. He couldn’t hold it firmly because as much as he didn’t want to pet an animal, he didn’t want to harm them of course. The kitten’s head pressed onto Bobby’s neck when it struggled again and Bobby shivered, collecting the kitty in his hands again. He was damn too ticklish there. He gulped and stared into the kitten’s eyes. “Look, just transform and we can talk.” They silently watched each other for a few minutes before Bobby sighed and put the kitten on the couch. 

He took his phone out and read Jinhwan’s messages insisting about a picture. Bobby rolled his eyes and slid the screen to take a pic. He checked his own face in his front camera before turning it towards the kitten. He almost puked his heart out when he saw a boy, not a cat in the camera. “Holy shit,” he whispered, turning around and taking his guard. The boy stared at him with etched eyebrows on his uneasy face. He even looked angry a bit. “Wow,” Bobby whispered out after a moment of checking him out. He couldn't see well under the dim light earlier but this boy… looked good. Light brown hair falling on his eyes while he hid his mouth behind his knees, hugging them. He looked _nice_.

Bobby cleared his throat and shifted, making the hybrid gasp. Bobby stopped moving altogether after raising his hands in defense. “Well, let's start this with a simple question,” Bobby whispered. “What's your name? Do you have a name?” When the boy didn't show any reaction for a while, Bobby thought maybe hybrids really weren't able to speak human language. 

“Hanbin.” It was quieter than Bobby's voice could ever sound but luckily he had good ears.

“Han… Hanbin?” Bobby tested how the name sounded on his lips. “Hanbin? Am I right?” Bobby's eyebrows were to his hairline and he felt like talking to a child. When _Hanbin_ nodded once and pulled his legs closer to his chest, Bobby guessed this was probably the best way to gain the hybrid’s trust. But why did he need his trust again? Did Bobby really need to talk to him like this first before sending him back to Heaven? He didn't know why he was doing this. 

“Hanbin,” Bobby called again, staring at the hybrid who was continuously glaring at him with his cat ears upright. “Do you… uh… want something?” He scratched the back of his head and Hanbin loosened a bit with his tail starting to move. Shit. How was Bobby gonna be heartless towards him?

“Um…” His eyes were darting everywhere. He was getting excited with his cheeks flushing. He hesitated for a while before lowering his head again. “Nothing.”

“Oh, well, okay… then.” Bobby didn’t know why but he had started to feel extremely uncomfortable with this cat talking right now. He didn’t know what to say and how to react. It felt like the time when he and June first met. They were the most awkward friends in existence until the day they so mysteriously got locked in Chanwoo’s bathroom. Their friends insisted about the door being broken but Bobby definitely heard the key turning from the other side of the door. Yeah. 

This time it felt even weirder. Bobby had never been good with animals. No. Animals hated him and Bobby didn’t want to get close to them either. And although he was good with strangers –human strangers– he wasn’t that confident in talking to people who had nice thighs without hitting on them. 

Bobby almost choked on his spit. Where the fuck was he staring? Why did this cat had long ass legs? And why was he even wearing ripped black jeans?! He wanted to just hit his own head with a brick. He heaved on a sigh and ran a hair through his hair. He froze at the feeling of being watched and he turned his eyes towards Hanbin. The boy was frigging gaping at him Bobby hadn’t felt more naked than that time his whole life. He even instinctively started covering his nipples. He jolted up to his feet and Hanbin got alarmed with the sudden movement. “I should, like… wear a shirt.” He pointed back to his room and retreated to his room in slow motion, very aware of the fact that his hybrid was gawking at his muscles. Probably with innocent wonder. But the way Bobby had examined his cat’s legs didn’t feel all that innocent. And it sounded weirder than it felt.

 

 

Bobby had to turn his phone off because he actually was stupid enough to inform his friends that his present was not only just a cat but a hybrid. Obviously they had to freak out and Bobby couldn’t deal with that many things at once. Jinhwan and Donghyuk was calling nonstop and June was spamming their group chat. Bobby was seriously going to get angry. June was enjoying himself and the others were probably just curious but it all was getting on Bobby’s nerves. He felt like he was being made fun of. The last thing he needed right now. 

He pulled the door open fully clothed this time. He was even wearing his bitch face. No one was better than June at it but Bobby’s version had a little bit of temper in it. He had to get rid of the cat like he had first planned. That was how it was supposed to be. His mother never let him pet-sit their dog when he was younger either. She must know something, right?

“Hanbin?” he called when he couldn’t find him in the living room. The name felt weird on his tongue. He started for the kitchen when he heard footsteps. “What are you doing?” Bobby asked, making Hanbin jump and Bobby thought he was going to run away for a second. But he only faced him with wide eyes, tail standing upright. “Are you looking for food?” Hanbin lowered his head looking almost apologetic. Bobby sighed and as he walked closer to the refrigerator, Hanbin did his best to stay away from him as much as possible. Of course he was hungry. That little cat he was from earlier didn’t look like it had a big stomach but now there stood a man as tall as himself in front of Bobby. “Well, I don’t have much food but… I can fix you a sandwich, I guess.” He saw Hanbin nod but he didn’t move any muscle other than that the whole time Bobby prepared food. He was just standing there, head low, hands clasped together at the front. Bobby tried not to care. “Here.” He put the sandwich on the table. With a plate again. God, how nice he was. “You can sit.” He pointed at a chair across the one he was about to sit and oh boy, he could be a priest. How sexy would that be. 

Hanbin obeyed at once and dropped to the chair without raising his head. He watched his food for a while and gulped. Then he looked up, his widened, shining eyes driving a hole through Bobby’s skull. He almost looked like he was waiting for a permission. Bobby, not knowing what to do, gestured to the plate awkwardly and the hybrid attacked the sandwich at once. His sleeves were so long that not even half of his hands were showing. He was holding onto the bread with those cute hands. Bobby felt delighted watching him eat like that, much to his dismay. The guilt came back again for a second when he saw Hanbin lick his forefinger. Bobby held his breath. The conversation was gonna be tough for both of them. 

“You finished?” Hanbin nodded quietly again and Bobby wished he spoke more. Maybe it’d make Bobby feel less bad. “Do you know how you came here? Do you know who bought you?” The hybrid frowned in confusion before shaking his head. Of course he didn’t know. It didn’t matter, Bobby wasn’t going to return him to that bastard who thought it was funny giving an alive present to someone like Bobby anyways. He propped his elbows up on the table, leaning closer. “Okay, look. I’m gonna speak honestly. I didn’t buy you. I don’t buy animals. Hell, I don’t even like animals.” He snickered humorlessly. “One of my friends sent you here as a joke. I… I can’t keep you, really.” It was a struggle looking at Hanbin’s face after those words. It was the human edition of his sad face when he first appeared to eat the tuna. He looked scared, upset and disappointed. Very, very disappointed. “Oh, please don’t make that face,” Bobby whined, throwing his head backwards. “I won’t kick you out to the streets as I first planned.” He didn’t really have to say that part. “I’m gonna return you to Heaven. That’s where they were keeping you, right?” Hanbin gasped, ears backwards again and straightened up on his seat. Bobby didn’t care. “I’m taking you back as soon as possible. I’ve wasted enough time, okay?” He raised to his feet and Hanbin’s eyes followed him.

“But…” Hanbin whispered in a cracked tone. “You gave me food.” His eyes were teary and his lips were pouting. “Twice.”

“Because you were hungry! I didn’t want to get arrested for killing an animal!” He didn’t mean to shout either but he was panicking when he had someone about to cry in front of him. His cat form was cuter than this hundred times but he didn’t feel bad with the thought of getting rid of it back then. Then why did he feel as heartless as Davy Jones now? 

“But I’m not animal. I’m hybrid.” He had his head down again and Bobby was thankful for that. 

“You have the rights of a cat.” That was a lie but Hanbin didn’t need to know that. “If I kill you it’s the same as killing a cat, I did some research–” 

“You can’t kill me!” Bobby jumped back when Hanbin yelped. So he really didn’t know about the Hybrid Protection Act.

“I’m not going to kill you for fuck’s sake!” He yelled back and leaned against the counter in exasperation. He was mentally bushed. If it was this hard now, how much harder would dealing with him get if he kept him? “Let’s not make this a dramatic scene, alright?” He looked up to see a tear fall down Hanbin’s cheek. “Oh my God, don’t cry, please. You… When I return you, someone nicer and richer and who loves little kitties will buy you and you’ll be a part of a happy little family.” Hanbin continued to cry silently and Bobby just stared. What was he going to do if the hybrid turned into a cat and ran away? “Why are you this sad, you’ve seen me. You won’t have a perfect life here.”

“I don’t want to… go back.” His voice was uneven from crying and he sounded like he was fighting not to sob. “I can’t.” Bobby was getting irritated.

“What do you want, then? Stay here?” Bobby rolled his eyes. “And eat the foods I get with the money I earn? Roll around the floor the whole day while I work? Well, I don’t want that.” Hanbin shot him a glare with a hint of anger in it and Bobby raised his eyebrows. “Do you think that’s fair?”

“I… I don’t,” Hanbin murmured, turning his head to the side, clearly offended. Bobby scratched his head and ran a hand through his face. If he had been cruel from the start, this crisis wouldn’t have happened. He wouldn’t be tired and wouldn't have to deal with tears. And the shadows of guilt wouldn’t haunt him. “Don’t take me back to Heaven.” He heard Hanbin say after a while. He sighed.

“Why?” Bobby grumbled. “I thought it was a really nice place. Like, it’s called _Heaven_.” Hanbin was biting his lip. “Is it… not good? They… don’t treat you good or something?”

“They are scary.” Of course this cat would say that. Bobby remembered how he dashed off when Bobby opened the box and how he was hiding under the table, trembling. He was a chicken. He was probably going to tell his friends at Heaven about the scary man who had bought him. 

“What do you want then, you want to live like the real cats outside?”

“No!” Hanbin yelped again, jumping on his chair and closed a clothed hand around his mouth. “If I go out…” he said quietly. “Dogs will hit me.” Bobby just had to chuckle but he wasn’t sure if it was out of annoyance or he was finding the hybrid cute for real.

“Okay,” Bobby breathed out, pulling the chair back to sit across Hanbin again. “You tell me then. What should I do with you?” He crossed his arms on his chest. Hanbin lightened up and fisted his sleeves. 

“Keep me.” Shockers. But Bobby closed his eyes to take it in for a moment anyways. Hanbin was jumping on his seat in excitement, his tail dancing at his back and Bobby’s head spun.

“Do you know how tiring you are?” he asked with pleading eyes. 

“I don’t.” Hanbin smiled. He was enjoying this after figuring out Bobby wasn’t going to force him to get out. He fucking smiled and his hope, excitement and happiness were all visible not only on his face but every part of his body. It was like he didn’t know how to stop moving. 

“But it won’t work like that,” he said, leaning back on his chair. Hanbin calmed down a little to pay attention. “You can’t stay for free.” Hanbin pursued his lips slightly.

“I don’t have money.” He raised his palms as if showing Bobby that they were empty. Was he a freaking bipolar? He was crying a second ago and now he was acting cute? 

“I know that.” He tried not to sound irritated. “You don’t have to pay back with money. Uh… Can you cook?”

Hanbin shook his head vigorously. “No.”

“Can you clean?”

“No.”

“Can you do the laundries?”

“What is laundry?”

“I hope you’re joking.” There was no answer and Bobby breathed. “What can you do, then?” If he couldn’t do any of this, then what was the plus of letting him stay? 

“I can lick your face.” He pointed at Bobby’s face with his forefinger. Bobby blinked.

“I hope you’re joking this time too.”

“Not a joke, it’s nice! You’ll like it, I promise!” He was actually rising to his feet and Bobby was shitting his pants. He raised the chair’s front legs up in order to recede. 

“I don’t, I don’t think I’ll like it…” he stuttered but the hybrid leaned down. “Hanbin!” Bobby screamed when they were face to face and Bobby saw Hanbin’s cat eyes before Hanbin got startled and hit his leg to the table. He sank back down on his chair and sniffled once.

“I can learn launry,” he said, his spirit down a bit. 

“Laundry,” Bobby corrected him.

“Laundry.”

Bobby imagined him doing his housework for a moment and that was even funnier and kind of scarier than the time when Bobby accidentally tripped Jinhwan and he fell on his face. “You’re… pretty serious about this aren’t you?”

“Hm!” Hanbin nodded with his eyes shining. 

And Bobby wondered what sort of shit had he gotten himself into.

 

 

He had to be madder than Vic Vega to be doing this. Maybe he was. “You get it?” he asked Hanbin who was staring at the washing machine. Bobby was seriously teaching him. He wasn’t sure why he was even doing this, but Hanbin looked so eager about this kind of simple task. So Bobby wasn’t cruel enough to shatter his enthusiasm. “Hey!” Hanbin raised his head sharply.

“Yes!” He nodded. Bobby wasn’t convinced much but was there anything simpler than placing the laundry in the machine and pressing the button? Hanbin was probably smart enough to be able to do that, he told himself. And he believed that. If he had known what was going to greet him the next time he entered this room, he wouldn’t have left Hanbin to deal with his clothes. 

After around thirty minutes, Hanbin appeared in the living room where Bobby was struggling with his new song lyrics. Bobby acted like he was ignoring him all the while Hanbin wiggled from side to side with his hands clasped on his back. 

“Kimbap-ie,” he called after hesitating for ages. Bobby locked his jaw and pressed his lips together. It was _Kim Bobby_ , damn it. “Um,” Hanbin squealed to get his attention. “D-Do you have a baby?” Bobby looked up and blinked at him. 

“Huh?”

“Do you have a human baby?” Hanbin repeated with a lower voice this time. His cheeks were flushing. Bobby’s brows drew closer to each other as he sat upright to look at Hanbin properly. “Because, well…” Hanbin swallowed, hiding his eyes behind his hair and then he revealed what he was hiding behind his back. A small, very small t-shirt. “I don’t think this… fits you.”

“Hanbin,” Bobby said in a quiet tone, getting up from the couch. He was calm. He was definitely the calmest soul in the planet. He was as calm as a chameleon. Bobby ripped his poor shirt away from Hanbin’s hands, making Hanbin jump again. He knew he was scaring him right now but wasn’t he kind enough already? What had he ever done wrong to get an adversity as a present? This was what he deserved for agreeing to his pleads and letting him stay? Even though he knew it wasn’t fair to aim his temper at Hanbin, he didn’t know who else he could yell at as he didn’t know who bought him. That person was seriously going to die.

Heaving on a sigh, Bobby raised the hand that was holding the t-shirt to toss it to the side but with closed eyes, Hanbin held out his both arms as if to protect himself from a blow. Bobby stared at him questioningly. Did he really think Bobby was going to hit him? Wow. He must have a terrible impression on the boy.

“Come here,” Bobby called him. Hanbin peeked at him between his arms. When he saw Bobby wave his head at the laundry room, he seemed surprised. Bobby scratched his head. “I will show you how to do it again.”

Bobby had already figured how Hanbin was scared of many things and how he easily got startled. He thought it was a part of his personality or it was common between hybrids but then he remembered what he had said about Heaven. He had said they weren’t nice. He didn’t want to go back. Heaven was the company who started the Hybrid Project and as they said, their manufacture, sale and care all belonged to Heaven. They were once the richest and the most popular company in Korea. It wasn’t like Bobby was ever interested in them but he always thought of them as a flawless organization. 

He and Hanbin returned to the living room after Bobby made sure Hanbin understood how the machine worked completely this time. Bobby was surprising himself being all patient towards the hybrid. He didn’t remember being kind to someone who had fucked up many times and ruined Bobby’s stuff. Bobby remembered the time his neighbor and childhood friend Yunhyeong had spilled his tea all over Bobby’s phone and Bobby made him suffer for that for years. When his desire for vengeance was never ending even towards his childhood friend, why didn’t he have the appetite to slap this hybrid’s ass as a punishment? 

“You don’t have to wait for my permission to sit down,” Bobby clarified and Hanbin jumped right beside him instead of choosing one of the empty couches where he could feel more comfortable. Bobby side-eyed him.

“I thought you were still mad.” Hanbin’s whisper was relieved this time instead of tense. He was pulling at his jeans’ ripped edges and Bobby’s attention got diverted to his legs again. 

“I didn’t get mad.” Hanbin slipped his fingertip inside a ripped hole, caressing the skin unconsciously. Bobby gulped soundly when his throat felt sore. “Why– Why did you think I’d get mad?” He asked it like he didn’t really find the fact Hanbin messing with his t-shirt sizes annoying. 

“Because… I can’t do anything.” He kept his head low as he pouted. His soft looking fair brown hair fell onto his eyelids and he brushed them away gently with his fingertips, revealing a perfect side profile for Bobby to examine. His skin looked smooth and his sharp jawline– 

Bobby shook his head after a moment, realising how he had been leaning towards the hybrid with an open mouth. Hell. He slapped a hand to his cheek and Hanbin turned towards him instantly. He wide eyed Bobby and his tail moved, it brushed against Bobby’s thigh. Bobby gaped at the fluffy thing in horror. He shifted a few centimeters away from Hanbin and his evil tail. 

“You are learning,” Bobby said as if consoling him. Hanbin didn’t respond as he continued fiddling with his fingers. “Hey, Hanbin. How is Heaven like?” Hanbin tensed up as soon as he heard Heaven’s name. Bobby was getting more curious.

“It’s bad.”

“How bad?” Bobby insisted. Hanbin shrugged but Bobby was dying to know more. 

“They’re always angry.” He pulled a leg up to hug it. It was probably a habit that occurred when he was nervous. 

“Did they ever... punish you?” Bobby didn’t get an answer. “Did anyone hit you?”

“Hm,” Hanbin confirmed and Bobby’s stomach sank. He would have never thought of a thing like that. Heaven was also the one who had requested Hybrid Protection Act. Maybe it was their mask. But if abusing hybrids was a common thing in Heaven, then why didn’t Bobby ever heard of a scandal before? Maybe it was the reason why the company had lost its value. First time in his life, Bobby pitied another being.

Bobby leaned forward without thinking and caressed Hanbin’s hair. Hanbin stared at him like he had surprised him with the most beautiful gift in the world. Bobby smiled faintly. His hair was softer than Bobby had thought.

 

 

Bobby had been earning money as a songwriter since he was still in college. After graduating, he wanted to continue with that. Being able to do his childhood dream job was a bless to Bobby. He didn't get much money from it before the song he had written two years ago became a hit. Since then, companies started paying him twice as much. He didn't have the intention to sign a contract with any company though. He liked being free. He couldn’t stand too much pressure and he was the type to do whatever he wished. 

He wrote his lyrics at home and when he was finished with one, he went to the studio to arrange it. He was perfectly happy with it. But of course there were times when he got stuck and wanted to bang his head to the wall repeatedly. This was one of those moments. 

It was early in the morning and Bobby had woken up with a painful ache to finish the lyrics he had been working on for almost two months now. He started hating the song and if he didn't get over with it soon, he was going to puke whenever someone brought the song’s name up. 

He scribbled the words one more time and sighed. He was surrounded with papers and he was lying on his chest on the couch with his laptop in front of him. If his mother were here, she'd smack his butt and tell him how unhealthy that position was. But he couldn't give a shit about anything. 

His heart stopped and his blood ran cold for a second when he heard a little squeal. He looked down the couch to see a little fluff ball looking up at him. He blinked his eyes. It took him a minute to remember that he was keeping a hybrid at home. But it was probably gonna take him forever to get used to this form of Hanbin. It was very astonishing. Like, he was a man-looking-boy when Bobby forcefully put him to sleep in his own room. –Hanbin seemed to like Bobby’s bed so much since it was the most comfortable place in the house and the only way convincing him to sleep had been offering his bed to him.– But now, he was a little kitten with sparkling eyes. 

The kitten put his paws to the couch’s side and looked at Bobby. He was too little to jump up to where Bobby was. “You wanna get up here?” Bobby asked, raising his brows in amusement. He laughed when Hanbin raised his tail up. “I won't help you.” He turned back to his laptop, still smiling. He looked down again after minutes and found Hanbin still there. He hadn't moved at all. 

Bobby snorted, reached down and took a hold of his little kitten with one hand. He pushed the useless papers away and placed him there. Wasn't it cute now? He needed Bobby's help to get on the couch. 

Bobby moved closer to the laptop, leaving Hanbin under his chest while he still lied face down, propped up on his elbows. Hanbin dragged his little paws here and there, trying to find something to amuse him. He climbed on Bobby’s keyboard and Bobby panicked when he started pressing random keys while walking on it. 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he catched the kitten's leg from the back and started pulling, dragging the little thing away from his laptop. “You shouldn't get on that.” His voice was gentle and Hanbin didn't seem like he was scared or anything. “Wait, I'll save this first.” He reached around Hanbin to his laptop. He out his chin down next to Hanbin and while he was busy fixing the file, Hanbin stepped closer to his face.

Bobby felt something warm touch his cheek and and froze. He only moved his eyes towards Hanbin who had his little pink tongue out, licking Bobby's cheek. Bobby's heart swelled and he couldn't refrain himself from planting a violent kiss on the kitten’s neck. His fur felt unbelievably soft under his lips and Bobby wanted to feel more of it. He pressed his face to the cat’s back and he didn't know this kind of warmth existed. Both physically and mentally. 

“You're so soft…” he murmured sleepily. Hanbin meowed under him and tried to get away. Bobby held him in his place without effort and with another kiss, he pressed the kitten to his neck and got up. “Let's eat, I'm starving.” Hanbin meowed again and even though Bobby didn't speak cat language, he knew Hanbin was agreeing with him. He stopped for a second before entering the kitchen. “You know what, I've decided I like you a lot better like this. You occupy a small space and are less noisy.” 

He didn't put him down the whole time he was preparing their food. 

 

 

Bobby bursted into the cafe and some customers seated near the door glared at him unapprovingly. His eyes flashed through the room before spotting his target and he stormed towards the table in the middle. 

Bobby slammed his hands on the table before falling on the chair across June's. June wasn't smiling like Bobby had anticipated. He was wearing his resting bitch face. 

“June, my dear boy,” he hissed under his breath and that was when June broke into a smirk with an eyebrow up.

“Bobby, my dear hyung,” he mimicked Bobby. “How are you managing?”

“Get out.”

“Hm?” June hummed in his most innocent voice but his eyes were his most threatening ones. 

“June, get out before I slice your throat right in here.”

“No way in hell I'm moving a centimeter away from here. I called you here because it's crowded.” He pointed his chin around the room. Bobby gritted his teeth. 

“I should've known it was you. Who else would leave a note like that? Seriously, am I stupid or do I trust you that much?” Bobby wasn't as furious as he thought he would be. He actually felt somewhat disappointed. 

“I think it’s the former.” June smiled, nodding his head in that manner Bobby hated so much. He had mailed Bobby confessing that he was the one who sent Hanbin. He was invited Bobby to treat him a drink as an apology. Bobby planned showing up with a knife but he couldn’t act as aggressive with Hanbin wandering around his feet whenever he went in the house. “How is he?” June breathed and placed his elbows up on the table with an excited smile. His eyes were flaring. Bobby didn’t know what he was thinking. 

“What do you mean how?” Bobby sighed as he rested his back against the chair. 

“I didn’t see his Primal Form. He kept being shy and didn’t show me,” he chuckled like a fangirl.

“He’s…” Bobby breathed, searching for a word to describe the hybrid. Was there one suitable for him really? Bobby didn’t think so. “N-nice,” he decided saying and scratched the back of his head.

“Seriously?” June groaned. 

“What the fuck do you want me to say, damn it?” Bobby snapped. “I don’t understand what the hell you’re trying to do! What were you planning to achieve with this?” June pushed his lips out nonchalantly and shrugged.

“But hyung, why aren’t you angry?” he asked in a serious tone. Bobby stared at him.

“I am fucking angry! Are you blind?” He jerked his hand into June’s eyes and June retreated, frowning. “I can choke you right now.”

“Why aren’t you doing it, then? You’re just all words, no fun.” He rolled his eyes at Bobby, faking an upset face and Bobby gaped at him. If he had stepped on Bobby’s foot, that could start a fight between them too. He didn’t need to go as far as sending a creature to Bobby’s house. 

Bobby snorted and June’s eyes darted towards him. He got up and popped some joints in his neck. “You know…” he said. “You could’ve just asked.” He slowly walked around the table towards June.

“Hyung… Hey, wait…” June got up and reached for his wallet. “I didn’t pay yet…” He didn’t have the time to worry about the amount he was supposed to pay when Bobby dashed towards him and June just threw the cashed in his hand on the table and sprinted towards the door laughing.

 

 

Hanbin wasn’t anywhere to be seen when Bobby entered the house. There wasn’t any noise either and Bobby knitted his brows. He pulled his shoes off, placing the bags on the floor. His feet were hurting from chasing June and walking home with shopping bags. Yes, he had beaten June’s ass although June was still enjoying the whole situation. Bobby didn’t find it amusing. He was having a mental crisis. June asked him if he was going to keep him and Bobby couldn’t answer. Hanbin was probably already imagining spending his whole life here with Bobby who was slowly realizing he had a soft spot within himself for kittens. Maybe Hanbin was an exception. 

Bobby couldn’t imagine living like that. First, keeping him meant trouble and nonsensical money loss; but now, it was like a new responsibility. Bobby didn’t like responsibilities he couldn’t avoid. He didn’t need Hanbin to become one of them. 

He found Hanbin in his room, fiddling inside Bobby’s wardrobe. Bobby watched his tail sway from side to side with his upper body inside the cabinet. “What are you doing?” he asked and Hanbin almost flew to the skies out of surprise. The hairs on his tail and his ears bolted upright. 

“K-Kimbap!” He turned towards Bobby in fear with one of Bobby’s pants in his hands. Even though Bobby walked closer, Hanbin didn’t move an inch as he tried to even his breathing.

“Why are you playing with my clothes?” Bobby asked staring down at Hanbin’s hands. Hanbin lowered his head and pushed the clothing into Bobby’s hands. 

“It’s nothing.” Bobby threw him a questioning look and Hanbin held onto his own long sleeves, ignoring Bobby. Bobby tossed the pants back into his wardrobe.

“You hungry?” Bobby asked and Hanbin, of course, being the glutton he was, nodded. 

Hanbin floated towards the kitchen while Bobby went to the entrance to collect the bags he had left. He learned that hybrids didn’t necessarily need to feed on special foods and that they could live on healthily with human food. So Hanbin was going to have to learn about surviving with noodles.

“Hey look,” Bobby called and Hanbin diverted his attention from the wall to him. Bobby stopped and turned his head towards the wall and frowned at the empty wall. There was nothing for Hanbin to be interested in it. 

“Yes?” Bobby placed the bags on the table under Hanbin’s curious eyes. The hybrid started inspecting the bags without touching them. Bobby threw a one last look to the wall before taking something out of a bag. 

“I got this for you.” He showed it to Hanbin. Hanbin blinked at it open-mouthed.

“What is this?” Hanbin looked at Bobby. 

“It’s your bed now.” Bobby turned the pillow-like thing upside down. 

“Why is it so small?” Hanbin poked a finger into it with a distasteful look, earning a scowl from Bobby.

“Because it’s for your cat form.” Hanbin lightened up at once. 

“Really?” He took it from Bobby’s hands and scanning every part of his cat bed. Bobby had just came across it and decided to buy it to get his own bed back. Hanbin just could sleep in his Secondary Form, right? He looked happy too. “Thank you.”

Bobby showed Hanbin how to prepare noodles simply by adding hot water on them. He warned him to be careful with the hot water and Hanbin managed to pour the boiling water on his own noodles. He became so happy about such a simple thing, making Bobby smile like an idiot. 

“Here, move them to the table,” Bobby ordered Hanbin obeyed at once, being extra cautious with the cups in his hands. 

“I did it!” Bobby didn’t need to hear it to know because Hanbin’s tail which started to move again after completing the task was brushing Bobby’s arm. Bobby looked down at the brown fluffy thing and the urge to press it on his face was stronger than anything else. He turned around slowly while Hanbin kept struggling with splitting the chopsticks apart. His tail moved to the right and Bobby’s eyes followed it. When it came back to the left, Bobby reached for it and grabbed it in his palms. If Bobby had known what kind of reaction would that gain him from Hanbin, he wouldn’t even go near that tail.

Hanbin screamed in pain and plunged forward, his thighs hitting the table. Bobby let him go at once out of shock. Everything on the table stumbled and when Bobby dashed forward to catch them before they fell, Hanbin was already running out of the kitchen as a cat. 

Bobby cursed under his breath and tagged after him. He searched every corner Hanbin would see as a hiding place, but he wasn’t in any of them. He entered his bedroom, the only place left, and saw the open covers of his wardrobe. They had left it open. He approached to it quietly and bent down. He saw an ear sticking out in the pile of clothes at the lowest shelf. 

“Hanbin?” he said in the kindest voice possible for him. He saw the ear shift and and the movement stopped. “Hey, Hanbin. I’m sorry…” He really was. He didn’t know it hurt cats to hold this. He didn’t even grab it that hard. Maybe he reacted like that because he was surprised? “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Hanbin wasn’t moving. “Did it really hurt?” Bobby was genuinely worried and he felt darn guilty. He only felt like he needed to feel the tail on his body with innocent instincts –Bobby could swore they were all innocent–.

“Get out, huh? I’m really sorry.” He reached and slowly pulled the hoodie between them away. But since Hanbin was sitting on the edge of it, he got dragged along with it. Now Bobby could see his face and he looked like the time Bobby had caught him after feeding him tuna. “I’ll buy you nice food tomorrow, I promise.” 

Hanbin slowly raised up on his short legs. He stood there unmoving, staring at Bobby. “Come here,” Bobby whispered and gestured for him to get out. Hanbin hesitantly stepped closer and jumped out of the wardrobe with a really sad face. Bobby felt even more sorry. “Can I hold you?” Bobby asked as he reached for him and when Hanbin didn't retreat, he took him with both hands. He raised the little cat to his face, holding it gently and whispered again, “I'm sorry.” Then, he planted a kiss on the kitten’s little nose. 

He put Hanbin down and got up to his feet. He pointed towards the door with his head and turned around. 

“Kimbap-ie,” he heard Hanbin say and turned around to see him sitting on the ground, hugging his tail. His eyes were glassy but he didn't seem to be crying anymore. 

“Yes?” Bobby asked with all the gentleness he could find inside him. He was definitely trying his best. Hanbin ordered him to come closer with a hand and Bobby had to obey. He kneeled down before him on one knee and Hanbin pressed his lips together. Then, he held his tail out to Bobby. Bobby stared at the tail and Hanbin. “W-What?” 

“Kiss it,” Hanbin mumbled and Bobby thought he misheard him. But then, he brought it closer to Bobby's lips and Bobby thought the room started spinning when he looked at Hanbin's covered eyes and blushing cheeks. 

“Uh,” Bobby nervously choked and scratched the back of his head with a trembling hand, not knowing what to do. Was he being serious? “W-Why?” Hanbin raised his eyes to him like Bobby had killed his mom and insulted his sister. 

“You don't want to?” His voice was between horrified and downhearted. Bobby was panicking.

“No! No, it's not that!”

“Then?” Bobby opened his mouth but the answer he couldn't think about got caught in his throat as his gaze met Hanbin's. 

“Okay,” Bobby breathed and leaned forward. “Okay.” He couldn't decide whether this tail was the best thing in the world or his worst nightmare. His lips touched it so easily and it was warm under his lips. He pulled back in after a heartbeat and jumped up, breathing like he had ran a marathon. “Let's go.”

He saw Hanbin's smile of victory, full of proud, just before he exited the room. 

 

 

Bobby was half expecting this actually. He literally felt it coming as he drifted into sleep. Hanbin had woken him up in the middle of the night in his human form and Bobby was having difficulties understanding anything. 

“It's raining,” Hanbin was saying in a trembling tone and in the dark, Bobby couldn't see his expression well. Bobby rubbed his eyes and turned towards the window. 

“Yeah,” he responded in a raspy and deep tone. “So?”

“The sky is making noises,” Hanbin mumbled. “And it's cold.” Bobby stared at his dark standing figure while he was propped up on his elbows on the bed, top naked. 

“Just go and sleep,” Bobby fell back down. 

“But it’s too dark there.”

“Where?” Bobby said, mouth pressed on the pillow.

“T-That… room.” Bobby saw Hanbin point back at towards the door he had left open shyly.

“Bring your bed here, then.” Bobby closed his eyes. Sleeping while there was a rainstorm outside felt so good. 

“I… can’t turn back… into a cat.” Bobby raised on his elbows, looking at Hanbin who had his head low.

“What do you mean?” he asked. It was one of those moments where Hanbin liked to ignore his questions. “You can’t control your transformation?”

“I can’t while it’s… raining...” There was a crush of thunder and when Hanbin showed that he was frankly scared of it, Bobby patted the space next to him.

“Come here.” Hanbin didn’t hesitate to fall beside Bobby on the king sized bed and wrapped himself with the comforter. Bobby shook his head and laid back down. Maybe he was really all words and no action like June said. Wasn’t Bobby himself the one who swore that this house only belonged to him and no one was ever going to change that? Didn’t he call Hanbin a monster who didn’t deserve to stay with him? He had promised himself to kick him out the moment he saw him. But now he was going around kissing Hanbin's tail and sleeping in the same bed with him. Maybe he was really a hypocrite and swallowing the words he had spat out was his destiny.

“Is thunders really that scary though?” Bobby asked in a dreamy tone. “I think they’re nice.”

“They are not nice,” Hanbin said like he was offended. A lightning struck and Bobby saw him pouting. Hanbin let out a whimper, displeased by the sudden flash of light. “Rain it wet and cold and thunders are noisy.” 

“I used to ran outside whenever rain poured,” Bobby chuckled. He didn’t know why he was saying this and why he felt this comfortable having Hanbin here. “It’s refreshing to me.”

“They left me in the rain and it wasn’t nice,” Hanbin murmured and Bobby gaped at him. What kind of environment was surrounding this guy before coming here seriously? Did he ever have an owner before? It didn’t seem like he was treated very well and Bobby was starting to feel sick.

He stopped thinking when Hanbin drifted closer to him little by little, trying not to disturb Bobby. Bobby acted like he was sleeping and watched the boy move closer to him till his breath hit Bobby’s chest. Right. Of course he liked being near the heat and to cuddle. His head was just under Bobby’s chin and while his breath tickled Bobby’s naked chest, his hair and cat ears touched Bobby’s face. His ear was moving as he tried to sleep, brushing Bobby’s lips and chin. Bobby’s heartbeats went uneven and it started feeling hot rather than cold like Hanbin had said. He gulped, fully aware of the fact that he wasn’t going to be able to sleep tonight. 

 

 

Bobby woke up to something poking his chest and arms. He opened a blurry eye and when the thing pressed hard onto his nipple, he jerked back in horror. Refraining from falling off the bed the at the last moment, he held his breath. 

Hanbin was staring at him on the other side of the bed with curious eyes, his half-covered hand midair with his forefinger pushed out.

“What are you doing?!” Bobby cried but Hanbin was too distracted to feel upset about being yelled at. He reached his arm out as much as he can and pointed at Bobby’s biceps. Bobby felt the urge to cover himself all over again. 

“Why is your arm like that?” he asked. 

“Like– Like what?” Bobby stared down at his arm, checking what was wrong with it. There was nothing different. The boy almost gave him an heart attack, making Bobby think he was undergoing some kind of mutation. “It’s normal.”

“No,” Hanbin whined and came closer to Bobby. He brought his fingertip to Bobby’s shoulder and slid it down to his elbow. Bobby shivered as his breath got caught in his throat. What was this hybrid doing to him? “It’s…” Hanbin trailed off, gaping at Bobby’s arm like he had before on the couch.

“You mean… my muscles?” He raised his arm up and showed off his biceps. Hanbin was watching him in ave. “It’s hot, right?” Bobby smirked and laughed proudly when Hanbin blushed. “You like it?”

“... Hm,” Hanbin hummed, not even diverting his gaze away for a second. Bobby bit his bottom lip, smiling as he watched Hanbin’s impressed expression. 

Bobby’s phone vibrated on the nightstand. There was more than a hundred messages from their group chat and one recent message from June. _‘Hyung’_ he was saying. Bobby rolled his eyes and tossed his phone to the side. He didn’t have time for his shit right now. His phone vibrated again and Bobby didn’t bother to check it this time.

He hadn’t even talked to Jinhwan since their last chat. He probably tried to contact him but he gave up when he couldn’t. Jinhwan knew and understood when Bobby wanted to stay away for a while. 

Bobby was aware of the fact that he had to focus on his still unfinished lyrics but for some reason, lying on the couch with Hanbin while watching a stupid animated movie seemed more interesting. He didn’t even remember when was the last time he watched TV and now he was delighted to waste his time doing that. And he wasn’t even caring much. 

Hanbin had his tail wrapped around his thigh near him and he was moving its tip upside down. Did it ever stop moving? Bobby was getting irritated but he now learned not to touch it without permission. His eyes traveled each part of the hybrid’s body and boy, he was an eye candy. 

“Shit, you must be expensive,” he blurted out and Hanbin turned towards him questioningly. “Nothing.” Bobby shook his head and diverted his eyes back to the TV. “Hey,” he said, a minute later. “Wanna play a game?” Hanbin was interested as he thought. “I'll ask you questions and with each one you fail to answer, you give me a reward.”

“Like what?” Hanbin faced him, sitting laterally on the couch. He was even smiling innocently. And, oh God, Bobby was going to hell. He was going to rot in there. 

“Like… You let me touch your tail.” Bobby didn't have the heart to tell him about the other rewards he was thinking about. 

“Hm, okie,” Hanbin nodded after thinking about it for a while and Bobby kind of wished he didn't agree. “Ask me!”

“Okay, then,” Bobby fixed his seat on the couch. “I'll go easy on you. What's the name of the human kid in the movie you were watching?” Hanbin blinked. “The little girl.” Bobby smirked. “You don't know? It's Boo.”

“I was gonna say it!” Hanbin yelled and Bobby chuckled. 

“No, you weren't. Now, my reward.” Hanbin pouted and brought his tail to Bobby's lips. Bobby pecked it lightly before Hanbin wrapped it back around his leg. “Another one.” He reached forward and closed Hanbin's eyes. Hanbin let out a surprised whimper. “What color is my shirt?” he whispered into Hanbin's ear. 

“How can I know that?” Hanbin groaned. 

“You can guess. One chance.”

“Um… Red!”

“No,” Bobby said in a low tone and leaned back, letting go of Hanbin. Hanbin frowned at his green t-shirt as Bobby kept smirking.

“Not that,” said Bobby, stopping Hanbin from bringing his tail forward again. Hanbin shot him a blank look and Bobby tapped at his own cheek. Since Hanbin didn't seem to get it first, Bobby imitated a kiss with his lips and tapped his cheek again. 

Hanbin looked at him in the eye, trying to confirm if he got it right. Bobby waited till Hanbin finally decided to go along with it. He scooted closer with pink cheeks and slowly leaned in. Bobby hated every second he spent hesitating. Then he closed his eyes and pressed his lips on Bobby's cheek. Bobby didn't know his heart could swell that much for such a trivial thing. But it was so sweet. Hanbin stayed like that for seconds before breaking away and Bobby was kind of sure his own face was as pink as Hanbin's. Bobby didn't think this game would go like this. 

“I'm gonna ask,” Hanbin said loudly. “What's my surname?”

Bobby, still not able to collect his thoughts, just mumbled a “What?”

“You don't know?” Hanbin asked innocently but smiled in a way Bobby had never seen him do before. “I don’t have one. With this, I win,” he clapped for himself. “Reward.” 

It happened too fast for Bobby to do anything about it. Hanbin placed a hand between their bodies on the couch and launched forward, capturing Bobby's lips. If Bobby thought his heart was swelling with that peck on the cheek, now his heart had to be exploding. Bobby almost fell back in surprise if it wasn't for Hanbin's hand holding onto his arm, keeping him in place. 

Then, just like that, Hanbin suddenly disappeared running back to the bedroom, leaving Bobby wide-eyed and out of breath. What did he do just now? Did this hybrid just kiss him?! On the lips?! And it wasn't Bobby who did it, it was _his_ decision. That was what got Bobby's brain stopped. 

When he started breathing again and got his senses back, he realized that someone was knocking at the door. His legs were almost trembling as he took slow steps towards the door.

“Why are you so late?!” June stormed inside, hitting Bobby with his shoulder on the way. Bobby closed the door in awe and sat down next to June who had already made himself comfortable in Bobby’s living room. “What were you doing seriously?” June complained and started fanning himself with his hand. “It’s too hot, seriously. How does this even happen, it was raining just–” Bobby cut June off.

“Why are you here?” Yes, why did he come here interrupting an important moment? June waved his hand in the air with closed eyes instead of replying.

“Bring me some water.” Bobby threw a cushion at him. 

“Get it yourself,” he snapped and June threw a sharp look towards him.

“Whatever,” he scoffed. “I don’t love staying long in your stinky place anyways. Where is he?” June looked around the room and then bowed to search the ground. 

Bobby’s eyes darted towards the bedroom door. “Not here.” 

“Bring him to me,” June ordered again and Bobby was about to punch him in the face. 

“No,” he said like what he asked for was the most absurd thing he had ever heard. 

“Come on, why are you hiding him?” 

“I’m not hiding him, I’m _protecting_ his mental health from you,” Bobby said, smiling.

“Oh my God. You are protecting the kitten you wanted to kill?!” June faked a laugh and stopped abruptly, reaching for his phone. “I’m calling Jinhwan hyung.” Bobby got up and snatched the phone away from June who looked up to him with shady eyes.

“Don’t call anyone, damn it!” Bobby said and threw the phone safely to the couch. “And I never wanted to kill him, okay?” June froze for a moment before he covered his smile behind a hand.

“Hyung, perhaps… Did you start liking it? Oh my God, is drama going to happen now, what’s going on?” he giggled. Bobby towered above him frowning.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I can’t believe! I can’t believe you developed some kind of… bond with a cat, hyung!” June kept laughing, annoying the shit out of Bobby with his nonsense. “Please don’t cry–”

 _“What are you talking about?!”_ Bobby shouted and June stopped laughing momentarily. Then he got up and slid past Bobby, putting the couch between them as if to protect himself.

“Hyung, did you really think I’d pay that much to buy you a hybrid? And just for a joke?” He raised his eyebrows. No, he didn’t. Of course he wouldn't. Bobby wasn’t even sure any of his friends had that much money. 

“No?” 

“Because I didn’t. They said I could try keeping him for a few days as a trial. That’s how I got him.” Bobby’s mouth fell open and he didn’t even realize June retreating back towards the door. “So, my dear hyung, if you like him enough to keep him… You’ll have to pay yourself.” He opened the door. “So, that’s it. I’ve come here to tell you that. Then I’ll take my leave–” June pulled the door close just in time to prevent the cushion Bobby threw his way from hitting him. 

Bobby fell onto the couch massaging his eyebrows as he swore himself to never forget about Koo June and how much of a bastard he was. What was he going to do? Could he even pay for Hanbin? Did he really want to keep him? Thinking about that, he realized he didn’t really have the heart to return Hanbin back to Heaven now. He was neither bothered by his existence nor he honestly wanted him gone. He was even starting to enjoy his presence and it was obvious that Hanbin wanted to stay with him as much as he could. Plus with the last things that had occurred just before June bursted into his house, how could he abandon him?

He sighed and placed his elbows on his knees, scrubbing his face. He opened his eyes when he heard a meow. Hanbin placed his paws on Bobby’s foot making Bobby chuckle almost bitterly. He bent down and lifted Hanbin off the ground, pulling him to his chest while he meowed cutely. 

Pressing Hanbin’s fluffy body to his neck, he thought, maybe it wouldn’t be that bad to have him around. Maybe it would be worth putting up with a new responsibility. Maybe he could pay to keep him if he worked hard enough. And maybe, just maybe… Bobby was going to thank June for this.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this for a Double B fic fest. That's all. Okay.


End file.
